Bulk Append and Subtract Values in Multi-Select Fields

Navigate to Data Management > Bulk Operations.

Select the database and record type in the top menu. Then explore the templates for an existing solution that may be close to what you need.

When you're looking to clean up specific values, the filter narrows the records down to the appropriate subset of your data.

In Step 1, under the Filter tab, select the Field to work with. Use the Condition to set the rule that the data in the selected field must meet. With this filter, you're telling Insycle what records you would like to update.

Add each field you want to look at to determine whether to include or exclude a record from this task. You can filter your data using any field in your database.

When you click Search, Insycle will list matching records in the Record Viewer at the bottom of the page. You can add columns to the view from the Layout tab under Step 1.

If you make changes to the filter, click the Search button again to refresh the results in the Record Viewer.

Now, you can modify the picklist field by either adding multi-select picklist values to the records or removing existing values. 

In Step 2, under the Update tab, select your multi-select field and the Add or Remove action. In the Value field, select all of the values you want to add to the record segment. 

Preview Changes in a CSV Report

Now with the filters and update action in place, you can preview the changes. It's important to verify that your fields are being updated as expected before those changes are pushed to your live database.

Under Step 3, click the Review button, then in the Bulk Update popup, select Preview and click Next.

On the Notify tab, add any additional recipients who should receive the CSV (and make sure to hit Enter after each address). You can also provide additional context in the message subject or body.

On the When tab, click Run Now, select which records to apply the change to (in most cases, this will be All), then click the Run Now button.

Open the CSV file from your email in a spreadsheet application and review the columns. For each multi-select field you’ve set up to change, a column will appear for both (Before) and (After). This will let you know what you started with and what change will be made to your CRM. 

Apply Changes to Your CRM

If everything in your CSV preview looks correct, return to Insycle and move forward with applying the changes to the live CRM data.

Under Step 3, click the Review button. This time select Update mode.

On the When tab, click Run Now, select which records to apply the change to (in most cases, this will be All), then click the Run Now button.

Save Templates and Setup Automation to Maintain Formatting

In some situations, it may be prudent to ensure your multi-select fields are updated on a regular basis, in which case automation may be the right choice. In others, a one-time update may make more sense.

After you've seen the results in the CRM and you are satisfied with how the operation runs, you can save your configuration as a template and set up automation so this formatting operation runs on a set schedule. 

By automating with a template, you'll save time and ensure that your fields are consistently updated on an ongoing basis.

For best results, add new values to existing picklist fields by following these CSV formatting guidelines:

• Include only new values: There's no need to include existing CRM values in your CSV—only add the new picklist values you want to append.
• Separate multiple values with semicolons: When adding multiple picklist values to a single field, separate them with semicolons without spaces. For example: "Influencer;Other" or "Executive Sponsor;Blocker."
• Leave blank rows as-is: If you leave a CSV row blank for a multi-select field, existing values in your CRM will remain unchanged—no data will be deleted.

In the example below, the Buying Role will populate picklist values in the CSV using the Append Import Mode.  These values will be added to the existing values in your CRM.

This streamlined approach saves time and prevents accidental data overwrites.

Select the CSV File for Import

Navigate to Data Management > Magical Import.

Select the database and the record type in the top menu. 

Choose the CSV file you would like to import. Uploading a file into Insycle does not import it to the CRM right away. Instead, you can prepare the data in various ways before actually importing it to the CRM.

The Preview panel will open and load the CSV rows, with a column for each field. Initially, you may see warning icons next to columns that don't exactly match field names in your CRM database.

Select a Template

Explore the templates to see if there's already something set up for your particular import task.

Magical Import templates load configurations that will affect the Data Mapping, Preparation, Validation, and Operations settings. When settings are loaded from a template, a blue number indicates where settings are applied.

AI-Powered Automatic Mapping

If you have AI enabled for your selected object type (with at least "Meta" level access configured in your AI settings), Insycle will automatically use AI to analyze your CSV column names and suggest appropriate CRM field mappings and matching criteria. This process happens in the background after your CSV loads.

The AI only accesses metadata such as column names and field labels—no actual record data is shared with AI service providers during this mapping process.

Review and Adjust Field Mappings

If AI is enabled, the Data Mapping section will automatically expand after processing your CSV. If AI is not enabled, click the Data Mapping heading to expand the section manually.

Insycle automatically detects the matching CRM fields and maps them for you. The second row shows the mapped CRM field names.

If your CSV contains fields that are not matched to your CRM, a red warning icon will show at the top of the column. These unmapped fields must be manually mapped by clicking the Not Mapped dropdown and selecting the corresponding CRM field. If they remain unmapped, they will not be imported.

Set the Import Mode to Append for the Multi-Select Field

To add these additional values to the existing data in your database, select the Append Import Mode. With Append, you do not have to include the historical selections in the CSV, and the import won't overwrite the existing data in the database. 

Review and Confirm Fields for Matching CSV Rows to CRM Records

If AI is enabled, it will suggest Matching Criteria based on your CSV columns and CRM fields. Review these suggestions, as Matching Criteria determine how Insycle compares your CSV data with CRM records to find matches. The criteria must be "unique identifiers" that would only belong to a single item, such as email addresses, phone numbers, street addresses, or ID numbers.

On the Matching tab, you can modify AI suggestions or select the Matching Field manually.

After setting up your Matching Criteria rules, the Preview updates to show existing records in your CRM, appearing as blue links that open the record. If any row data has issues, a red warning icon appears on the left. Hover over the icon for details. Rows with warnings will not be imported. 

If your CSV's multi-select field data doesn't match CRM picklist values, an 'Invalid picklist value' warning will appear. To fix this, you can edit the import data directly in Insycle by hovering over a value and clicking the pencil icon.

There are many other features available to manipulate your CSV data before importing it into your CRM. 

Format and Clean Up Data

Make formatting changes and other standardization updates to the CSV data in Insycle before uploading it to your CRM under Data Preparation. Learn more about transforming your data during the import process.

Exclude Data That Doesn’t Meet Validation Criteria

Use Data Validation to filter out records that don't meet your quality standards, or to target a segment before importing them into your CRM.

Make Bulk Updates to CRM Records 

Under Data Operations, use Bulk Update to modify other data in your CRM. You can add a value to CRM fields even if you don't have the field in the CSV. This will add the same value for all the imported records.

Create Relationships with Matching CRM Records

Under Data Operations, use the Associate/Link feature (the title will vary depending on your CRM's naming convention) to create relationships between CSV records and existing records in your database during import. Learn more about creating relationships when importing.

Set Date Formats

You can override Insycle's automatic date standardization under Data Mapping using the Date Format tab. 

Make Individual Edits in Preview

You can also make one-off changes to values directly in the Preview. Hover over a value and click the pencil icon.

Learn more about using these features in the Magical Import Module Overview.

Select CSV Rows for the Operation

By default, Insycle will perform your chosen action on all of your CSV data. If you only want to process a few records, return to the table under Preview and check the boxes beside the selected records. Leave the checkboxes blank to import all of the records.

Configure the Import

At the bottom of the Magical Import page, configure the Import.

Select the Records Mode to tell Insycle how the imported data should be handled during the import process: 

• Update existing and create net new – If unable to find a corresponding record, a new record will be created in your CRM.
• Only update existing – If a corresponding record is found, it will be updated with the data from your CSV import. Records that are not matched with an existing CRM record will not be imported.
• Only create net new – Only records that can not be matched with an existing record in your database will be imported. Records that already exist in your CRM will not be updated.

  If importing HubSpot contacts, you will also have the option to add your imported data to an existing List. If importing Salesforce contacts or leads, you can add the imported data to an existing Campaign.

When you click the Import [X] Contacts button, you'll be prompted to confirm.

After the import runs, the Import Result breaks down the import information—how many records you tried to import and how many succeeded, failed, were updated, deleted, or unmodified. Click the Run ID to open a CSV record of the import.

In the CSV report, you can see your multi-select field values from (Before) the change and (After Append).

If you encounter any "Failed" Results, review the Message to understand the issue and determine steps to resolve it. You can also revisit any warnings shown in the Preview.

Once you're satisfied with the results in your CRM, you can save all the configurations as a template to replicate the same import process later. 

You can use the Data Validation feature to limit the rows from your CSV that are imported based on the criteria you set. You might use this to import in segments that are handled differently or to exclude unwanted rows.

For example, if your CSV contains data from different countries but you want to import only records related to Poland, add a validation rule to check if the Country field contains "Poland."

When you click Apply, the Preview will update to show which records will be excluded. Any rows that don't meet your validation criteria will display a warning icon.

If AI is enabled for your object type, many warning icons may automatically disappear after the initial CSV processing. Remaining warning icons indicate issues that still need your attention.

If there are issues with a CSV row, a red warning icon will appear at the left end of the row and next to the relevant field in the Preview. Rows with errors will not be imported.

To learn what the problem is and determine steps to resolve it, hover over the red exclamation mark—an explanation of the error will display.

Several common reasons for the warning icon include:

• Invalid picklist values
• Your validation rules
• Several records match your criteria
• Invalid reference values
• Unmapped columns

Invalid picklist values. If a CRM field includes dropdown options and the data in your CSV does not match, you'll see an "Invalid picklist value" error. This value needs to be changed to match the dropdown options in your CRM.

Your validation rules. A row will show warnings and be excluded from the operation based on your validation rules. The warning info will list which rules apply to the row.

There are several records in your CRM that match. If multiple records have the same Matching Criteria, Insysle identifies these as matching records in your CRM.

If there should be only one record with this value, you may need to first merge duplicates and then try importing again.

If there are legitimate reasons for a Matching Field value to exist in more than one record, try adding additional Matching Criteria to make it more specific.

Invalid reference values. If a column is mapped to a CRM field that references other data, such as owners or associated record IDs, and no match is found, an error will appear.

To quickly fix the import data directly in the Preview, hover over a value and click the pencil icon.

Once you've selected your Matching Criteria, filter options will become available in the Preview. You can use the Show Only Warning Rows filter to view only rows with warnings.

If a record in your CSV is not being matched to a CRM record and you know that it should be, there are several potential causes:

1. The Matching Criteria you chose does not match between the CSV and CRM

   Insycle depends on your Matching Field selection to compare your CSV to your CRM data. If Insycle can't find matches between the two sources, you may need to find a more reliable but unique field.

   Have a look at the data in your CRM using the Grid Edit module, adding columns to the layout so you can explore the fields and values. Then, compare this against the columns and values in your CSV to find a field that reliably matches the two sources. 

2. You are using too many fields in the Matching Criteria rule

   You can select more than one field in each Matching Criteria rule; however, ALL of the fields must match, not just one or some of them. If you include five fields and four of them match, but one doesn't, Insycle will not consider the record a match.

   Typically, it is best to use a single field for your first Matching Criteria to improve the likelihood of finding existing records in your CRM. Then you can add additional rules to match multiple fields.

   

3. Your Matching Criteria is too broad

   If you're using a field that is not truly unique as Matching Criteria, it's likely that Insycle won't be able to identify one single record as a match. For instance, there could be many people with the first name "John" in your CRM. This is why uniqueness is key.

   When selecting your Matching Criteria, make sure it is truly a "unique identifier." These are data points that would only belong to a single record—such as email address, phone number, street address, or ID number. For companies, it could also be company name, or company domain.

   

4. AI suggested inappropriate matching criteria

   While AI can recommend matching criteria, it might not always select the most suitable fields for your specific data. Review the AI-suggested matching criteria and adjust or replace them with more appropriate options based on your understanding of the data quality and uniqueness in both your CSV and CRM.

5. There is a syncing issue

   To refresh the data in Insycle, navigate to Settings > Sync Status, and next to the account name, click the Sync changes from last day button (lightning bolt icon).

   

   Alternatively, you could log out of Insycle and then log back in.

   For help re-syncing a specific field, contact support.

Yes. Insycle's field-by-field master selection feature also allows you to append multi-select picklist data into master selection fields. That way, when you merge records, you can keep all available context for "Notes" and similar fields.

To learn more, see Bulk Merge Duplicate People, Companies.

No, Insycle enables you to append fresh data to your existing values without including the historical data in your CSV.

To learn more, refer to the Format Picklist Values for Import in the CSV section above.

Yes, you can bulk select options to add to existing picklist field data without using a CSV. See the Append or Subtract Multi-Select Picklists Values in the Bulk Operations Module section above.